blakes7fandomcom-20200213-history
Star One (episode)
Star One was the thirteenth and final episode of Series B first broadcast 3 April 1979. It featured the final appearance of Travis and Jenna Stannis. It also featured the final proper appearance of Roj Blake until Series D's Blake. Synopsis From the VHS release: While Blake plots to annihilate the Federation once and for all, Travis is planning far greater destruction...that of the entire human race... Plot Onboard Servalan's command station, one of her assistants, Durkim, shows her evidence of computer control breaking down on various planets. He believes someone is sabotaging Star One but Servalan says that if that is true nothing can be done: No-one is aware of Star One's location. In fact, the Liberator is already en route, having learned the location on Goth, and track it to a single planet orbiting a dying star, on the edge of the galaxy. Servalan tells Durkim that a group of technicians elected to be marooned on Star One to oversee the systems: Among them was Lurena, an old flame of his. Lurena is suspicious of the senior technician, Stot, and his staff, who constantly recheck he work. When the other technicians led by Parton try to take her prisoner, she flees and finds the bodies of the technicians in a cupboard, meaning the ones at large are imposters. When she kills one of them, Shokov, his body glows green. The Liberator arrives in orbit and Blake, Avon and Cally teleport down. They seem a group of the fake technicians, led by Marcol and Leeth, searching for Lurena. Blake and Cally enter the base and are captured by technicians; Cally telepathically informs Avon, who hangs back. Stot mistakes Blake for Travis, who they were expecting and who asked to perform the final act of their operation personally, an act that will bring about the end of humanity. Blake sends Cally to plant bombs around the base to destroy it. Jenna and Vila witness the arrival of a space capsule on the surface. This turns out to be Travis, who is taken prisoner by Avon. However, on entering the base, Avon is mistakenly attacked by Lurena, letting Travis escape. Avon kills another fake technician, who transforms into an alien lifeform, and the pair join up with Cally. Jenna and Vila detect an antimatter minefield blocking the route from the Andromeda galaxy which Orac suggests was intended to keep something out. The Liberator detects a large alien fleet massing on the other side of the minefield and Jenna has Orac send a warning message to Servalan. Servalan has already declared martial law, effectively making herself president, and she and Durkim despatch a fleet to Star One. Travis shoots Blake and takes control of Star One, deactivating a section of the minefield. Blake recovers and opens fire, wounding Travis and killing Stot, before collapsing. Avon kills Parton as he is about to shoot Blake and, as Travis prepares to return fire, shoots him, causing him to fall down a shaft to his death. Blake sends Avon and Cally to remove the bombs, knowing the Federation will need Star One to combat the alien threat. He then realises there is a bomb in main control that they don't know about and sends Lurena to find it. Just as she does so, she is confronted by a group of aliens and walks towards them with the bomb behind her back as the countdown approaches zero. Cally gets the rest of the bombs outside the base just before it explodes. Back on the Liberator, with Blake still recovering from his injury, Avon informs the rest of the crew they will battle the alien fleet until the Federation arrives. As alien ships begin moving through the gap in the minefield, Avon gives the order to open fire. Cast *Roj Blake - Gareth Thomas *Avon - Paul Darrow *Vila - Michael Keating *Jenna - Sally Knyvette *Cally - Jan Chappell *Zen/Orac - Peter Tuddenham *Servalan - Jacqueline Pearce *Travis - Brian Croucher * Lurena - Jenny Twigge * Stot - David Webb * Parton - Gareth Armstrong * Durkim - John Bown * Marcol - Paul Toothill * Leeth - Michael Maynard Crew * Production Assistant - Geoffrey Manton * Production Unit Manager - Sheelagh Rees * Film Cameraman - Max Samett * Model Sequences - Paul V. Wheeler * Film Recordist - John Gatland * Film Editor - Sheila S. Tomlinson * Series Videotape Editors - Sam Upton, Malcolm Banthorpe * Visual Effects Designer - Mat Irvine, Peter Pegrum, Andy Lazell * Electronic Effects - A.J. Mitchell * Studio Lighting - Brian Clemett * Studio Sound - Malcolm Johnson * Special Sound - Elizabeth Parker * Costume Designer - Barbara Kidd * Make Up Artist - Ann Ailes * Music By - Dudley Simpson * Series Created By - Terry Nation Story notes *This is the last episode to feature Jenna and Travis and the last to feature Blake until "Blake" (although he appears as a hallucination in "Terminal"). *Terry Nation submitted an idea for the last two episodes of Season Two which involved the Daleks, the alien race he created for Doctor Who, as the alien invaders and the deaths of Jenna and Vila. These ideas were vetoed by David Maloney and Chris Boucher. *This episode sees the last use of Avon's silver parka on landing party duties. Ratings 8.2M Filming locations Old Lightmoor Colliery, Cinderford, Gloucestershire Production errors To be added. Continuity *Blake and Travis both learned the location of Star One in The Keeper. Servalan was present on Goth in that episode but makes no mention of the fact here. *Servalan assumes the role of president in this episode, being addressed as "Madame President" by Durkim. Quotes Blake: They're bound to have left some clue as to where they put that installation. A door would be nice if you could manage it. Cally: I'll try my best. Blake: Preferably one marked entrance. Travis: I thought you were supposed to be the one with brains. Avon: Brains but no heart. Lurena: (Indicating the dead technicians) They're trying to kill me. Avon: They have a novel approach to the job. Stot: Why have you given us the means to eradicate your species? Blake: Eradicate humanity? Stot: Virtually. Blake: Well, maybe I just don't like crowds. Blake: Avon. For what it is worth, I have always trusted you. From the very beginning. Vila: Avon, this is stupid! Avon: When did that ever stop us? Home video releases * Original BBC video release (Volume 13) in 1991. * Fabulous Films video reissue (Volume 13) on 18 January 1999. * DVD release as part of the Series 2 box set on 17 January 2005. External links * References Category:Series B episodes